After transfer of custody, military keeps hands off 'Morong 43' case

News from: GMANews.TV
05/02/2010

After their transfer to a regular detention facility, a spokesman said the military is keeping its hands off the case of the 38 of the 43 health workers arrested last February.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr.
said Sunday it is now the court that decides what to do with the 38.

"Bahala na riyan ang korte... Wala na kaming ano riyan, nakakahinga na kami diyan (The court now has jurisdiction over the 38. We will have nothing to do with them. We can breathe a sigh of relief)," Burgos said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He said the military already sought the transfer of the 38 since March, with the court granting it only last month.

The military arrested last February 43 health workers (popularly called the “Morong 43") in Morong town in Rizal province over suspicion they were members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

On the other hand, Burgos said the five who he claimed admitted to be NPAs would stay in Camp Capinpin and avail of the social reintegration program for rebel returnees.

"Ito nagbalik loob at gusto mag-avail sa social reintegration program (They wanted to avail of the social reintegration program)," he said.

The military confirmed Saturday it moved 38 of the 43 health workers to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

The 38 were supposed to be transferred to Camp Crame in Quezon City, but the Philippine National Police requested that they be transferred somewhere else, citing the “risks" of transferring the suspected rebels to the police facility in Quezon City.

At present, the 38 health workers are facing illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Meanwhile, Burgos said the military continues to focus on helping ensure the May 10 elections are clean.

He scored speculations of an "Oplan Full Moon," a supposed plot involving the military to thwart the election results.

"Kathang isip ito ng taong gustong sirain ang katahimikan at kapayapaan sa ating bansa (It is the figment of the imagination of those who want to disrupt our peace and order)," he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV

38 health workers moved to Camp Bagong Diwa

by: ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV
05/01/2010

The military has finally moved 38 of the 43 health workers arrested for allegedly being members of the New People’s Army to a regular detention facility, the Armed Forces spokesperson said Saturday.

Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos, military spokesperson, confirmed to GMANews.TV in a phone interview that the 38 health workers have been brought from Camp Capinpin in Rizal province to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Saturday at about 5 p.m.

The 38 health workers were transferred by virtue of an order by acting Presiding Judge Amorfina Cerrado-Cesar of the Morong Regional Trial Court Branch 78.

Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, meanwhile said that Camp Bagong Diwa’s warden has already given the military the go-signal for the transfer of the detainees.

The 38 health workers were supposed to be transferred to Camp Crame in Quezon City, but the Philippine National Police requested that they be transferred somewhere else, citing the “risks" of transferring the suspected rebels to the police facility in Quezon City. (See: 38 health workers still with military despite court order)

At present, the 38 health workers are facing illegal possession of firearms and explosives

The other five detainees remained at Camp Capindin, Detoyato said.—JV, GMANews.TV

NARS Overview

WE ARE COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSES & ADVOCATES OF PEOPLES' HEALTH

In 1973, three nuns, one of them a nurse, started what would later be known as "Community based health programs" (CBHP) in the Philippines. In 1978, Primary Health Care (PHC) was embodied in the Alma Ata Declaration signed by 134 nation states toward the goal, "Health for All" by year 2000.

More than 30 years have passed, where is "Health for All?"

This question made several of us nurses to come together in early 2008. We realized that the vision of Alma Ata of "Health for all by year 2000" remained largely just that: a vision

We come together with our individual experiences in working for and with the marginalized sectors and poor communities for whose who sake we set up this organization.

Through the setting up of our organization that gathers community health nurses and advocates of people's health who continuously promote and uphold the principle of "health as a basic right" . we may be ableto give tribute to those who chose to be among the least-served communities. We hope to add our voices to those who preach and advocate the people's united strength as the means to achieving health for the people. We hope to strengthen and affirm our commitment of serving the Filipino people.